Animal Allergies – Theirs, Not Yours

Spring is here, and with it comes trees in bloom, beautiful flowers bursting to life and for an unfortunate many, bothersome allergy symptoms like hay fever. You may also notice your fur-kids constantly scratching, licking and biting themselves. That’s because we humans aren’t the only ones who suffer pollen allergies and hay fever. Our fur-kids can suffer, too.

Our fur-kid, Riley, has severe allergies. We tried treating him with sprays (he got smart and ran when he saw us with the spray bottle), topical creams (a tasty treat that got licked off) steroids (expensive!), antihistamines (didn’t work at all), several changes to his food ($60 for a bag of dog food? Oy vey.) – all to no avail.

On any given day, you would still find him persistently scratching, licking and biting every waking hour to get relief. He would dig at his ears, then shake his head, sending blood spatters in a three-room radius. Our home looked like a crime scene. It was miserable for us all.

We finally broke down and invested in a $400 allergy test that showed poor Riley is allergic to just about every grass and tree pollen in Kentucky – including the grass in his own yard – and now he must have allergy injections several times a month.

Our vet trained us on how to give injections, and Riley doesn’t seem to mind at all. He has happily traded licking off the topical itch creams and sprays for chasing me around the house after my shower to try to lick the lotion off my legs. Did I mention that it can take up to a year for these injections to become effective?

If allergy symptoms aren’t treated, the constant licking and scratching will create sores that can become infected, creating MORE problems. Unfortunately, I know this all too well.

The good news is that if your fur-kid suffers with allergy symptoms less than three months out of the year usually antihistamines, steroids or medicated shampoos can help control their itching. Other methods to control seasonal allergies are much like human allergy controls: keeping grass and flowering plants cut back, keeping your floors vacuumed (including underneath where lots of dust can collect), keeping windows closed and installing an air purifier. Remember, medications for humans should NEVER be given to your fur-kid unless prescribed by your veterinarian.

If your fur-kid is like Riley and chronically scratches the fur right off his ears, neck, and chest or chews at his feet until he bleeds in spite of trying all of the above and everything in your power to keep them from doing so, you will more than likely have to have them allergy tested to see what they are allergic to and follow up with allergy shots to build up their immunities. In that case, get your checkbook ready; again, it’s not cheap. But it is well worth it – for all of us.

Beth Green is a Louisville native and owns Paws Pet Care, a local award-winning pet-sitting and dog-walking company. She is a self-proclaimed “animaniac.” On a typical day, you may find her caring for her fur-clients, spending time with her husband and three children, reading, writing, shopping or with her two boxer-babies – Maddie and Riley – who often walk her around the block.

About the Author

Beth Green is a Louisville native and owns Paws Pet Care, a local award-winning pet sitting and dog walking company. She is a self-proclaimed "animaniac". On a typical day you may find her caring for her fur-clients, spending time with her husband and three children, reading, writing, shopping or her two boxer-babies - Maddie and Riley - walking her around the block.

Great article! I am so glad you wrote this bc it makes me feel not as alone with my babies “issues”

http://onthegopa.com Carolyn Wolf

Great article! I didn’t know they had allergy testing for dogs until just a few months ago! My Jack Russell has had random allergies but they seemed to have subsided since he is older, thank goodness!

Sirena

I have suggested a product to several of my clients who had dogs that would itch so bad and loose their fur on their “back end” making them bald. Each dog who has taken this supplement:
1) is OFF Benadryl, 2)takes no other medication, 3) their itching reduced each WEEK and now has completely stopped and 4) their HAIR GREW back.

Jim & Bea Buster

We loved the article, very informative, keep um coming.

albledsoe

Are the injections expensive, or just the testing?

http://www.pawspetcareathome.com Beth Green, Paws Pet Care

You must have your fur-kid allergy tested first, which is approximately $400, depending on the vet. The cost of the serum for us is about $160 every six weeks, which is cheaper than all the vet visits we were having to make for chronic ear infections and other things.